1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an electronic musical instrument with performance assistance function for guiding (navigating) a performance when a player practices on guitar-like musical instruments such as the classical guitar, electric guitar, electric bass, classic guitar, ukulele, etc. whose performance requires synchronized manipulation timing between right and left hands.
2. Prior Art
Playing the guitar requires synchronization between right and left hands for different operations, namely fret and string operations. As a possible method, for example, the right hand is first used just for a practice of picking strings. As the skill advances, the practice is gradually made more complicated by adding a practice of the left hand for pressing strings.
Conventionally, already known is a guitar-like electronic musical instrument which guides the performance simply by illuminating the fret. However, there has been no electronic musical instrument that enables practices according to gradual steps.
The present invention has been made for solving the aforementioned problems. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an electronic musical instrument with performance assistance function which can simplify the user""s performance operation by supporting user""s performance operations and can check correctness of the performance operation.
In a first aspect of the invention, there is provided an electronic musical apparatus with assistance for a performance based on music performance data representative of a model music piece composed of a plurality of notes allocated to a plurality of channels, each note being determined in terms of a target pitch and a target timing. The apparatus is comprised of an indicator section that visually indicates the target timings of the notes in correspondence with the respective channels according to the music performance data to thereby visually prompt a progression of the model music piece, an input section operable by a user for sequentially inputting actual timings selectively allocated to one or more of the channels during the course of the performance of the model music piece, a detecting section operative when the input section inputs an actual timing to one channel, for detecting a note having a target timing which matches the inputted actual timing and which is allocated to any one of the channels, and an output section responsive to the detecting section for outputting the music performance data to the respective channels for sounding all of the notes having the target timings coincidentally with the inputting of the actual timing.
Accordingly, only if the sound timing is input correctly, the apparatus sounds a musical note by not only specifying a channel for sound timing input, but also specifying a pitch. As a result, it is possible to simplify the user""s performance operation and check the sound timing input.
For respective channels, it is possible to simplify a user""s performance operation by means of the guide function according to indicator means, which at least visualizes target sound timing.
At the same target sound timing, model music data may comprise one note or a plurality of notes like in chord tones. When model music data is a chord, a chord name is entered and is converted to a plurality of chord tones. These tones are entered as a plurality of notes as model music data.
In a second aspect of the invention, there is provided an electronic musical apparatus with assistance for a performance based on music performance data representative of a model music piece composed of a plurality of notes allocated to a plurality of channels, each note being determined in terms of a target pitch and a target timing, the model music piece containing a set of notes having the same target timing. The inventive apparatus is comprised of an indicator section that visually indicates the target timings of the notes in correspondence with the respective channels according to the music performance data to thereby visually prompt a progression of the model music piece, an input section operable by a user for sequentially inputting actual timings selectively allocated to one or more of the channels during the course of the performance of the model music piece, a detecting section operative when the input section inputs an actual timing to one or more channel, for detecting a note having a target timing which matches the inputted actual timing and which is allocated to said one or more channel among the set of the notes, and an output section responsive to the detecting section for outputting the music performance data to said one or more channel, thereby sounding the detected note at the target pitch through said one or more channel.
Accordingly, only if the sound timing is correctly input for a channel corresponding to at least one of a plurality of notes at the same target sound timing, a pitch for that channel is automatically input and sounded. As a result, it is possible to simplify a user"" performance operation and check sound timing input for the correct channel.
For respective channels, it is possible to simplify a user""s performance operation by means of the guide function according to indicator means, which at least visualizes target sound timing.
In a third aspect of the invention, there is provided an electronic musical apparatus with assistance for a performance based on music performance data representative of a model music piece composed of a plurality of notes allocated to a plurality of channels, the model music piece containing a single note allocated to a specified channel, each note being determined in terms of a target pitch and a target timing. The inventive apparatus is comprised of an indicator section that visually indicates the target timings of the notes in correspondence with the respective channels according to the music performance data to thereby visually prompt a progression of the model music piece, an input section operable by a user for sequentially inputting actual timings selectively allocated to one or more of the channels during the course of the performance of the model music piece, a detecting section operative when the input section inputs an actual timing to the specified channel, for detecting a single note having a target timing which matches the inputted actual timing and which is allocated to the specified channel, and an output section responsive to the detecting section for outputting the music performance data to the specified channel, thereby sounding the detected single note at the target pitch through the specified channel.
Accordingly, only if the sound timing is correctly input for a channel corresponding to one note, a pitch for that channel is automatically input and sounded. As a result, it is possible to simplify a user"" performance operation and check sound timing input for a correct channel.
For respective channels, it is possible to simplify a user""s performance operation by means of the guide function according to indicator means which at least visualizes target sound timing.
In a fourth aspect of the invention, there is provided an electronic musical apparatus with assistance for a performance based on music performance data representative of a model music piece composed of a plurality of notes allocated to a plurality of channels, each note being determined in terms of a target pitch and a target timing. The inventive apparatus is comprised of an indicator section that visually indicates the target timings of the notes in correspondence with the respective channels according to the music performance data to thereby visually prompt a progression of the model music piece, an input section operable by a user for sequentially inputting actual timings selectively allocated to one or more of the channels during the course of the performance of the model music piece, a selecting section that selects either of a first mode applicable when the model music piece contains one or more notes at one timing, a second mode applicable when the model music piece contains multiple notes at one timing and a third mode applicable when the model music piece contains a single note at one timing, and an output section being operative when the input section inputs an actual timing to one channel under the first mode, for detecting a note having a target timing which matches the inputted actual timing and which is allocated to any one of the channels, and then outputting the music performance data to the respective channels for sounding all of the notes having the target timings coincidentally with the inputting of the actual timing, the output section being operative when the input section inputs an actual timing to one or more channel under the second mode for detecting a note having a target timing which matches the inputted actual timing and which is allocated to said one or more channel among the multiple notes, and then outputting the music performance data to said one or more channel, thereby sounding the detected note at the target pitch through said one or more channel, and the output section being operative when the input section inputs an actual timing to a specified channel under the third mode for detecting a single note having a target timing which matches the inputted actual timing and which is allocated to the specified channel, and then outputting the music performance data to the specified channel, thereby sounding the detected single note at the target pitch through the specified channel.
Accordingly, it is possible to select at least two of performance assist modes described in the first, second and third aspects of the invention. As a result, it is possible to simplify a user"" performance operation and check sound timing input, and stepwise guide the user to master performance.
For respective channels, it is possible to simplify a user""s performance operation by means of the guide function according to indicator means, which at least visualizes target sound timing.
In a fifth aspect of the invention, there is provided an electronic musical apparatus with assistance for a performance based on music performance data representative of a model music piece composed of a plurality of notes allocated to a plurality of channels, each note being determined in terms of a target pitch and a target timing. The inventive apparatus is comprised of an indicator section that visually indicates the target timings and the target pitches of at least a part of the notes in correspondence with the respective channels according to the music performance data to thereby visually prompt a progression of the model music piece, a timing input section operable by a user for inputting a current timing to any one or more of the channels, a pitch input section operable by a user for inputting an actual pitch to a particular channel, a detecting section that detects a note having a target timing matching the current timing and a target pitch matching the actual pitch in the particular channel, and an output section responsive to the detecting section for outputting the music performance data to the respective channels for sounding the detected note and other note having the target timing matching the current timing.
Accordingly, only if a pitch is correctly specified and entered for any of the aforementioned channels and the sound timing is correctly entered, the apparatus can specify and generate a lacking pitch at a channel for which the sound timing should be entered. As a result, it is possible to simplify a user"" performance operation, specify a pitch, and check sound timing input.
It is possible to simplify a user""s performance operation by means of the guide function according to indicator means which visualizes the target pitch and the target sound timing corresponding to at least part of notes for respective channels.
At the same target sound timing, model music data may comprise one note or a plurality of notes like in chord tones.
In a sixth aspect of the invention, there is provided an electronic musical apparatus with assistance for a performance based on music performance data representative of a model music piece composed of a plurality of notes allocated to a plurality of channels, each note being determined in terms of a target pitch and a target timing. The inventive apparatus is comprised of an indicator section that visually indicates the target pitches and the target timings of the notes in correspondence with at least a part of the channels according to the music performance data to thereby visually prompt a progression of the model music piece, a timing input section operable by a user for inputting a current timing to a first channel, a pitch input section operable by a user for inputting an actual pitch to a second channel, a detecting section that detects one note having a target timing matching the current timing and a target pitch matching the actual pitch in the second channel, and that detects another note having a target timing matching the current timing in the first channel, and an output section responsive to the detecting section for outputting the music performance data to the respective channels, thereby sounding all of the notes having the target timing matching the current timing and including said one note and said another note.
Accordingly, only if a pitch is correctly specified and entered for any channel at the sound timing is correctly specified for any channel, the apparatus can specify and generate a lacking pitch at a channel for which the sound timing should be entered. As a result, it is possible to simplify a user"" performance operation, specify a pitch, and check sound timing input.
It is possible to simplify a user""s performance operation by means of the guide function according to indicator means which visualizes the target pitch and the target sound timing corresponding to at least part of notes for respective channels.
At the same target sound timing, model music data may comprise one note or a plurality of notes like in chord tones.
In a seventh aspect of the invention, there is provided an electronic musical apparatus with assistance for a performance based on music performance data representative of a model music piece composed of a plurality of notes allocated to a plurality of channels, each note being determined in terms of a target pitch and a target timing. The inventive apparatus is comprised of an indicator section that visually indicates the target pitches and the target timings of the notes in correspondence with the channels according to the music performance data to thereby visually prompt a progression of the model music piece, a timing input section operable by a user for inputting a current timing to a first channel, a pitch input section operable by a user for inputting an actual pitch to a second channel, a detecting section that detects a note having a target timing matching the current timing and a target pitch matching the actual pitch in the second channel, and further detects that the first channel inputted with the current timing is identical to the second channel inputted with the actual pitch, and an output section responsive to the detecting section for outputting the music performance data to the second channel, thereby sounding the detected note.
Accordingly, it is possible to specify a pitch and check sound timing input.
It is possible to simplify a user""s performance operation by means of the guide function according to indicator means which visualizes the target pitch and the target sound timing for respective channels.
At the same target sound timing, model music data may comprise one note or a plurality of notes like in chord tones.
In an eighth aspect of the invention, there is provided an electronic musical apparatus with assistance for a performance based on music performance data representative of a music piece composed of a plurality of notes being allocated to a plurality of channels and including a set of notes constituting a chord, each note being determined in terms of a target pitch and a target timing. The inventive apparatus is comprised of an indicator section that visually indicates at least the target timings of the notes in correspondence with the channels according to the music performance data to thereby visually prompt a progression of the music piece, a timing input section operable by a user for inputting a current timing to a channel, a detecting section for detecting that the inputted current timing matches a target timing of one of the notes constituting the chord, and an output section responsive to the detecting section for outputting the music performance data to the respective channels, thereby sounding the notes constituting the chord and having the target timing matching the current timing while suppressing the sounding of other note which is not involved in the chord.
Accordingly, only if the sound timing is correctly entered for a channel corresponding to any one of chord notes, the apparatus sounds these notes by not only specifying channels for the other chord notes, but also specifying a pitch of each chord note. As a result, it is possible to simplify the user""s performance operation and check the sound timing input.
On a music score, a rest may be inserted between notes. As performance data in this case, rest data is not always needed if note data is specified with the sound timing.
It is possible to simplify a user""s performance operation by means of the guide function according to indicator means which visualizes at least the target sound timing for respective channels.
If the sound timing is input to a channel other than channels for chord notes, no data is output for a note which does not constitute the chord. This operation does not sound a note which would disturb the harmonic relationship of the chord.
As will be clearly understood from the above description, the present invention provides an advantage of assisting user""s performance operations and checking operations by partly automating operations such as specifying pitches and entering sound timing. Further, the present invention provides an advantage of guiding the performance through the use of indicator means for visualizing the target sound timing for respective channels.
The user can practice only picking operations or a combination of fretting and picking operations, thereby gradually mastering the performance skill.
In a ninth aspect of the invention, the inventive electronic musical apparatus further comprises a data input section that inputs the music performance data designed to specify allocation of the notes to the channels and also designed to specify the target pitch and the target timing of each note in each channel.
Accordingly, the inputted music performance data can be utilized as it is to assist in the music performance of the model music piece without further processing of the inputted music performance data by a lookup table for allocation of the notes to the channels.
In a tenth aspect of the invention, the inventive electronic musical apparatus further comprises a data input section that inputs the music performance data which contains note event data effective to specify the target timing and the target pitch of each note, and an allocating section that allocates each note to an appropriate channel according to the specified target pitch of each note along with the specified target timing.
Accordingly, the music performance data having no channel information can be used to assist in the music performance of the model music piece by allocating the notes to the appropriate channels based on the pitch of the notes.
In an eleventh aspect of the invention, the inventive electronic musical apparatus further comprises a data input section that inputs the music performance data which contains chord event data effective to specify a plurality of chords and which is arranged to specify the target timing of each chord, and an allocating section that specifies a set of notes constituting each chord according to the chord event data and that allocates the set of the notes to appropriate channels along with the specified target timing.
Accordingly, the music performance data containing chord data can be sufficiently used to assist in the music performance of the model music piece even if the music performance data has no channel information and no target pitch information of each chord note.
In a twelfth aspect of the invention, the data input section inputs the music performance data, which contains time information effective to prescribe the target timing of each note.
The music performance data may be inputted in the digital data form such as an auto play file, a standard MIDI file and a dedicated MIDI file for sequencer software. Such a format of the music performance data can be stream reproduced or downloaded from a server through Internet or LAN.
In a thirteenth aspect of the invention, the data input section inputs the music performance data, which contains manual timing inputs effective to specify the target timing of each note.
Accordingly, the target timings of the notes constituting the model music piece can be designated by timing inputs on a manual music keyboard or else. Such a music performance data can be inputted in the form of MIDI data externally through a MIDI interface in realtime basis. Such a music performance data may be provided from a server through Internet or LAN in realtime basis.